Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Topaz Canyon is a canyon. It lies in or next to Grand Canyon National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Grand Canyon Village, about 10.6 km (6.6 mi) away (Topaz Canyon lies NW of town).
Topaz Canyon is a linear, narrow canyon in the western Grand Canyon, below the South Rim. It lies in a region of four canyons, and a fifth smaller canyon, all trending mostly northeasterly towards the west-flowing Colorado River, in western Grand Canyon National Park. The name of Topaz Canyon was named by the Board of Geographical Names for precious stones of the region. Topaz Canyon is the southeast border of the linear, and major, forested-landform, Diana Temple; (Slate Canyon is Diana Temple’s northwest border). The northeast terminus of Topaz Canyon intersects with the outfall of Boucher Canyon and the tract of the Tonto Trail (west region). The Boucher Trail starting in Hermit Canyon, (just east of Eremita Mesa), ends at the termini of both Topaz and Boucher Canyons.From the Wikipedia article “Topaz Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Topaz Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:50 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:18 AM | 89° E | 6:27 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Topaz Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:29 PM – 3:39 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:38 PM – 3:18 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 1:52 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:55 PM – 11:55 PM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:05 PM – 9:45 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:20 PM – 7:50 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 69 | 81 | 87 | 97 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 100 | 87 | 75 | 64 |
| Low °F | 4 | -2 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 50 | 47 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this canyon
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Topaz Canyon, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Natural ArchScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Mountain Peak
Dark Sky Place
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mather Campground12.8 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Trailer Village Rv Park - South Rim13.1 km (8.1 mi)
- North Rim Campground (Az)19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Tusayan - Montane22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Topaz Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Topaz Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Topaz Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Topaz Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Topaz Canyon?
How far is Topaz Canyon from Grand Canyon Village?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.